Means for attaching an escapement to a clock-plate.



F. H. CORTHELL.

MEANS FOR ATTACHING AN ESCAPEMENT T0 A CLOCK PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15 1915.

M Il? l @nulmummm RAPH vCar., WASHINGTON D C 1 178,300'. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

FRED H. COBTHELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD R. HILLS', OF

` CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR ATTACHIG AN ESCAPEMENT TO A CLOCK-PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed May 15, 1915. Serial No. 28,278.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRED H. CORTHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Attaching an Escapement to a Clock-Plate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chronometer movements 'and has reference more particularly to a new and improved means for attaching the escapement mechanism of a clock to one of the frame plates of the clock movement.

It has heretofore been customary to attach the escapement plate which carries the parts of the escapement mechanism to the clock plate by means 'of screws passed through the escapement plate and into suitably tapped holes in the clock plate, the latter being provided with an opening through which the arbor of thefratchet wheel of the escapement extends, said arbor carrying the usual pinion driven by the fourth gear wheel of the clock train on the rear side of the clock plate. In order to secure an accurate intermeshing of this pinion and gear, great accuracy must be observed in locating the tapped holes in the clock plate by which the escapement plate is secured thereto, any error in the location of these holes producing a faulty intermeshing engagement of gm 6 of the circular opening of the clock the pinion and its driving gear.

One object of my invention is to provide an attaching means for the escapement mechanism by means of which a correct engagement of the pinion and gear may be insured without depending upon any such high degree of accuracy in the attaching means for the escapement plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved attaching means that will permit the escapement mechanism to be applied and removed with great facility and without diassembling any parts of the escapement mechanism from the escapement plate.

To this and other minor ends my invention consists of the improved means for attaching the escapement to a clock plate hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in respect to subject matter and scope in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one practical embodiment of my invention, and referring thereto- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fragment of a clock plate showing the escapement mechanism secured Vthereto through the agency of my improved attaching means, said view also showing a portion of the driving gearfor the escape arbor. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking'in a direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on a reduced scale on the line 3*.2 of Fig. 1, looking in a direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the frame plate of a clock movement to which the escapement mechanism is customarily attached. This plate is formed with a circular opening therethrough the edge of which is indicated at 6.

7 designates the escapement plate that carries the usual parts of an escapement mechanism, comprising the escapement and pallet bridge 8, the balance wheel bridge 9, the potence 10, the escapement arbor 1l carrying the escapement pinion 12 and the scape wheel 13, the balance wheel arbor 121, the balance wheel 15, and the pallet 16. The escapement plate 7 engages one side of the clock plate 5 over the circular opening 6 and is formed on its inner side with an annular 'shoulder 17 that is fitted to the-edge or marplate as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 so as to be capable of a turning movement within the latter. 18 designates a clamp plate that engages the opposite side of the clock plate 5 over the circular opening in the latter and is likewise formed with an annular shoulder 19 that is fitted to the edge 6 of said opening with capacity for turning movement within the latter. The escapement and clamp plates 7 and 18 are drawn tightly together on the clock plate by means of screws 20 that, in the instance shown, eX- tend through openings in the escapement plate and are threaded into tapped holes in theV clamp plate. These screws are so located as to be accessible by a screw driver from the upper side of the escapement mechanism without necessitating the removal or disassembling of any of the parts of the latter, The clamp plate 18 is provided with an opening 21 suitably located to permit the potence 10 to extend therethrough.

At 22 is shown a fragment of the fourth wheel of the clock train which meshes with and drives the escape pinion l2.

In assembling the escapement mechanism on the clock plate, the escapement and clamp plates 7 and 18 are fitted to the opening 6 of the clock plate with the holes for the clamping screws opposite each other and the latter are applied and lightly turned up. The assembly is then turned on its axis until the pinion 12 is brought into accurate intermeshing engagement with the fourth wheel 22, whereupon the clamping screws are tightened up and the escapement plate is thus securely held in rigid relation to the clock plate. ln disassembling, the mere withdrawal of the clamping screws enables the plates 7 and 18 to be withdrawn from 'opposite sides of the clock plate 5.

The escapement mechanism herein illustrated is of the balance wheel escapement type, but obviouslyT the particular type and construction of the escapement mechanism is immaterial to the present invention. It will further be evident that my improvement is capable of application as a repair or renewal to old clock movements by simply forming a hole in the clock plate of suitable size to receive the shouldered portions of the escapement and clamp plates.

I claim:

l. The combination with a clock plate having an opening to accommodate the escapement arbor, of an escapement plate carrying said escapement arbor, and means for securing said escapement plate on said clock plate with capacity for angular adjustment of said escapement plate about a point eccentric to the axis of said escapement arbor.

Q. The combination with a clock -plate having an opening to accommodate the escapement arbor, of an escapement plate carrying the escapement mechanism, and means for securing said escapement plate on said clock plate with capacity for angular adjustment of said escapement plate around the center of said opening.

3. The combination with a clock plate having an opening therethrough, of an escapement plate carrying the escapement mechanism engaging said clock plate on one side of said opening, a clamp plate engaging said clock plate on the opposite side of said opening, and means extending through said opening for clamping said escapement and clamp plates on said clock plate.

4:. The combination with a clock plate having a circular opening therethrough, of an escapement plate carrying the escapement mechanism engaging said clock plate on one side of said opening and provided with guiding means engaging the edge of the latter, a clamp plate engaging said clock plate on the opposite side of said opening and also provided with guiding means engaging the edge of the latter, and means drawing said escapement and clamp plates together on said clock plate.

The combination with a clock plate having a circular openingv therethrough, of an escapement plate carrying the escapement mechanism engaging said clock plate on one side of said opening and formed with an annular shoulder iitted to the edge of the latter, a clamp plate engaging said clock plate on the opposite side of said opening and also provided with an annular shoulder fitted to the edge of the latter, and clamp screws connecting said escapement and clamp plates through said opening.

FRED H, CORTHELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents cach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

